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* The Michigan Center for Nursing is a program of the Michigan Health Council
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History & Accomplishments

The Michigan Center for Nursing has made progress towards addressing the issues that underlie
Michigan’s nursing shortage. In collaboration with Michigan’s Chief Nurse Executive we have been able to initiate substantive projects and tangible results. The Center has created a record of excellence as we enter our sixth year of operations. Since it’s creation, the Center has focused on three goals for maintaining an adequate supply of high-quality nurses in Michigan:

  • Develop consensus recommendations for cultivating and maintaining a high-quality nursing workforce that meets the demand for nursing services in Michigan
  • Foster strategic alliances among nurses, educational institutions, health care systems, the business community, and other stakeholders for improvement in the recruitment, education, retention of nurses, and the delivery of health care.
  • Establish a central resource for nursing workforce data collection and analysis.
The Michigan Center for Nursing Advisory Board has identified priorities for action to address the shortage of nurses in Michigan and strengthen the nursing workforce. The Advisory Board selected priorities from among many recommendations using the following criteria:

Impact - Which issues provide the greatest opportunity for affecting the shortage of nurses or the nursing workforce?
Feasibility - Are the cost, effort, and level of cooperation that will be required to address the issue reasonable?
Urgency - Is there a need to address the issue immediately, before other issues are addressed?
 
The Advisory Board also considered the distribution of issues and strove for a balance across the areas of education, work environment/retention, staffing/care delivery models, and image/ recruitment. 
The priorities that the Center has focused their efforts on are:

Education
Recruitment and image
Work environment and retention
 

Through consultation, collaboration and research we have developed or partnered on initiatives to address these priorities. These initiatives have had an impact on nursing supply or been a catalyst for innovative programs that will impact the supply. All combine to form a solid body of work that is driving change.
 
Some factors that have contributed to the progress and success of our work to date:
  • The appointment of a Chief Nurse Executive to lead nursing in Michigan and who supports the Michigan Center for Nursing
  • Visionary leaders within the nursing community, who recognize the Center’s value as a neutral broker and convener and have brought us to the table.
  • A committed Advisory Board who remain energized by our mission and goals.
  • A stable and committed staff whose knowledge and skill is increasingly recognized within the state and nationally.
  • The good fortune of excellent consultants and contactors 

 IMPACT OF THE MICHIGAN CENTER FOR NURSING

  • MCN has been featured in more then 50 state and national publications, and several local and statewide TV and radio affiliates
  • MCN publishes an e-newsletter that is sent to more than 40,000 nurses throughout Michigan 
  • MCN receives over 5,000 emails and over 1,000 phone calls each year on nursing related questions that staff research and respond to
  • The MCN website receives more than 125,000 hits each month
  • MCN has recognized more then 250 nurses with the Institute of Nursing Excellence
  • MCN has presented 4 forums, 9 institutes, 5 summits, and held over 30 workshops and 50 presentations and informational meetings to over 5,000 Michigan nurses
  • MCN has received over 250,000 surveys for the Nursing Licensure Surveys in 2004-2008
  • MCN has surveyed 100% of our nursing education programs in 2004 and 2006 with information on enrollments and faculty demographics.
  • MCN has collaborative partnerships with Michigan’s Chief Nurse Executive, the Michigan Health Council and the Center for Health Professions, Michigan Organization of Nursing Executives (MONE), Michigan Council of Nursing Education Administrators (MCNEA), Michigan Association of Colleges of Nursing (MACN), Michigan Healthcare Workforce Center (MHWC), the Greater Detroit Area Health Council (GDHAC), the West Michigan Nursing Advisory Council (WMNAC), the Capital Area Community Nursing Network (CACNN), the Council of Michigan Organizations of Nursing (COMON), Michigan HOSA, the Michigan League for Nursing (MLN), and Health Opportunities for Today and Tomorrow (HOTT).